The cast of Love Island gathered in Manchester on Monday night to watch the live final and to see Millie Court and Liam Reardon crowned winners in style.
The 2021 series came to a romantic end at the start of the week as the 24-year-old fashion worker and 21-year-old Welshman were voted the winners of the series – and scooped the £50,000 prize.
And while Millie and Liam were cheered on in the villa by their fellow finalists Chloe Burrows, Toby Aromolaran, Fay Winter, Teddy Soares, Kaz Kamwi and Tyler Cruickshank, many other Love Island stars past and recent were watching on at a luxury event.
Show sponsors I Saw It First threw a lavish celebration at Boujee in Manchester – bringing in a host of reality stars from the show.
While there was plenty of entertainment on screens as the cast of ’21 watched their former villa-mates smile through the final episode, there was plenty of other entertainment for the cast to enjoy at the Manchester venue.
Fire eaters performed with blazing props and acrobats suspended high above the tables performed daring, gravity-defying tricks.
And, of course, there were plenty of Love Island themed drinks flowing to keep the cast ‘hydrated’.
A vodka, bubblegum, lemon juice and blue curaco cocktail called Bubblicous, no whey’ , a vanilla vodka, passion fruit liqueur, passion fruit and Prosecco called named in honour of Hugo Hammon\’s catch-phrase ‘Moving Mad’.
Further cocktails included vodka and strawberry daiquiri’s called ‘Not My Cup Of Daiquiri’ and a gin based cocktail called ‘I Got A Text’.
While prosecco was inventively re-named 'It Fizz What It Is' for the evening – a play on the classic expression "it is what it is".
While further drinks included flaming bottles and mini shots of other alcohol.
There were also cupcakes with framed photos of the stars on top of them, balloons full of confetti, and huge flower arrangements.
The overall colour scheme for the night was a relatively powerful colour of pink.
Pink lights, pink balloons, and pink neon lights were all over the venue – bathing the Love Island stars in an attractive and complimentary hue.
While the dress code was of course reality star chic – with the men and women from the show all looking sharp in cute dresses and smart menswear.
Lilie Haynes took to Instagram to give fans an inside look at the event – sharing video of herself sat at the head of a huge table that was filled with stars from the 2021 series.
Brad McClelland, Chugs Wallis, Clarisse Juliette, Danny Bibby and more all gathered together to watch the finale and knock back shots.
Sam Jackson, Jack Barlow and Harry Young larked around with their co-stars at the VIP event.
But it wasn’t just Manchester that was celebrating the final, as other contestants gathered in London to watch the final and enjoy drinks and dancing together.
Brand partners also threw a watch-a-long live final party at the Me Hotel – with Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson rubbing shoulders with and interviewing stars from the show.
The event, also hosted by I Saw It First, offered plenty of drinks and a chance for the stars of the show to catch up while watching Millie and Liam win.
Explaining his involvement in the party, which he hosted, Sam declared on Instagram: This is so cool.
"So I'm hosting the Love Island final watch-a-long. It's not televised or anything like that, but it's with the brand partners and some ex-Isladners who have been booted off the show.
"They are coming back to answer questions that I'm going to ask.
"I couldn't be happier!"
The reality star also questioned some of the contestants as part of the night's proceedings.
Hugo and Aaron Francis were thrilled to be reunited on the night of the final and met up at a hotel to catch up before their night out together.
The lads were ready to celebrate as they enjoyed watching Liam and Millie win, with Hugo writing on Instagram as the final aired: “So proud, defo deserved, most normal natural couple this year!”
The boys were reunited with Sharon Gaffka – and the trio were merrily throwing back drinks and dancing away together.
While tattooed beauty Abigail Rawlings and various other stars were also at the event in the capital.
Thanks to Sam Thompson, fans witnessed Hugo flirting with a blonde woman at the party.
The E4 reality star covertly filmed the Love Island hunk happily chatting to a female party guest, who he claimed he had "pulled for a chat".
Hugo and his female friend spotted their fellow reality star filming them and quickly started laughing.
While Sam also pined for Abi – asking: "Why couldn't she just find love?!!"
Millie and Liam exchanged declarations of their love during the final episode before being crowned winners.
And once the pair scooped the prize, show host Laura Whitmore asked how far the romance would go, saying to Liam and Millie: "Well, you've already said the L-word, so boyfriend and girlfriend on the cards?
"You going to do a Chloe and Toby and get married? I don't think Toby knows that yet."
Millie replied: "I don't know, we definitely will be one day, won't we?"
Liam asked Millie: "Will you be my girlfriend?" – with the blonde babe replying: "Yes!" before kissing him as Laura gleefully watched on.
Pushing her own dream of a Love Island wedding, Laura added: "I mean, you've already met the family...I didn't think that was going to happen there! I love that I witnessed that."
While Liam may had only just asked Millie to be his girlfriend, his own family are now predicting he will move to Essex to be closer to his love.
Speaking on Capital South Wales FM, Liam’s sister Niamh said: "Liam, I don’t think he was ever going to settle in Merthyr anyways, so I think it’s just easier for him to go up closer to Millie.
"He’s got loads of friends around the Essex and London area anyway, so I just think, it’s just easier for him to go.”
